I like to sweat.  There, I said it.  In my opinion, there is nothing better than a good sweat, unless it is chasing the ice cream truck down your street!  I use Infrared Sauna to rid my body of unwanted toxins, to burn calories, and to increase my cardiovascular health.  I had a traditional steam sauna in my prior home, and now have an Infrared Sauna.  Both are remarkable, however, I really relax and unwind more, using the Infrared Sauna.  I understand not everyone can afford to have this luxury, but the following will outline the inherent benefits.  Infrared saunas help your body release several toxins, including heavy metals, like mercury, and lead, plus environmental chemicals.  With infrared sauna technology, you can also lose weight, relax, relieve unwanted pain, increase your circulation, and purify your skin.

WHAT IS FAR INFRARED RADIANT HEAT?

Sunlight is a combination of visible light and invisible light. The seven colors of the rainbow are visible lights, and infrared rays and ultraviolet rays are invisible lights.  Infrared rays are the healthiest, penetrate into your skin deeply and they dissolve harmful substances accumulated in your body. The Infrared Rays detox your body, revitalize your cells and metabolism.

Far infrared waves penetrate deep into our body for a deep heating action which allows for the body to activate the sweat glands. The sweat glands offer one of only a few mechanisms that the body has to eliminate toxins and since the skin is the largest organ in the human body it is apparently a very efficient means of elimination.

The sun is the primary source of radiant energy, but not all of this energy is beneficial. Although life needs energy from the sun, too much sunlight damages the skin. Far infrared heat provides all the healthy benefits of natural sunlight without any of the dangerous effects of solar radiation.

For years, the healthcare industry recommended infrared heat lamps as a source of far infrared heat but the lamps were cumbersome, extremely hot and difficult to maintain at a constant temperature. Today, many healthcare professionals use far infrared infrared heaters to treat a variety of diseases, throughout the world.

The far infrared rays consist of similar wavelengths as that which is emitted naturally by the human body. This is one potential explanation of why many feel energetically rejuvenated and balanced from contact with far infrared waves. It is also believed that far infrared waves help improve blood circulation and recovery from fatigue.

7 HEALTH BENEFITS OF INFRARED SAUNAS:

1. Detoxification – Sweating is one of the body’s most natural ways to eliminate toxins, making it a crucial part of detoxification. When compared to traditional Swedish saunas, infrared saunas allow you to eliminate about seven times more toxins. Detoxification means removing toxic substances from the body, such as drugs, pollutants, preservatives, pesticides, heavy metals, and poison, among other things. Detoxification, I’ve found, is one of the main reasons people become interested in infrared saunas. Saunas do a good job of detoxification by “vibrating” water inside your cells, helping it move out of the cell and then out of the body – taking toxins with it.
2. Heart Health – Infrared saunas contribute to heart health and lower your blood pressure. When you sit in an infrared sauna a few things happen. Your heart beats faster to bring blood to the capillaries just below your skin’s surface so sweat can be released through your skin which triggers your body to go into the parasympathetic mode of your autonomic nervous system.
3. Pain Relief – When infrared light is absorbed into your body, pain reduction occurs due to the infrared heat penetrating joints, muscles, tissues and nerve endings. This heat literally heals your body by speeding up muscle recovery and allowing for a greater range of motion by relaxing joints, tendons and muscles through heat therapy and drawing more oxygenated blood to problem areas.  Infrared Sauna therapy has been shown to help patients reduce inflammation, helps patients suffering with fibromyalgia, provides nerve pain relief, and has significant results on patients suffering with Rheumatoid Arthritis by promoting increased circulation.
4. Weight Loss – The heat generated by an infrared sauna will cause your core temperature to increase, which can also lead to an increased heart rate — the same increase in heart rate that you experience when exercising. When your body has to work harder to lower your core temperature or keep up with an increased heart rate, your body will burn more calories, resulting in weight loss. An article, titled Effect of Sweating, in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that a 30-minute infrared sauna session could burn roughly 600 calories.
5. Skin Purification – The profuse sweating achieved after just a few minutes in an Infrared Sauna carries off deeply embedded impurities and dead skin cells, leaving the skin glowing and immaculately clean. Increased circulation draws your skin’s own natural nutrients to the surface. You’ll see improved tone, elasticity, texture and fresh color. Increased blood circulation has also been shown to relieve acne, eczema, psoriasis, burns, lesions and cuts. In addition, open wounds heal more quickly, reducing scarring.
6. Immune System Support – The deep heating from infrared heaters will raise your core body temperature, inducing an artificial fever. How does this benefit the body?  Fever is the body’s natural mechanism to strengthen and accelerate the immune response, as seen in the case of infection.  This enhanced immune system, combined with improved elimination of toxins and wastes via intense sweating, increases your overall health and resistance to disease.
7. Stress and Fatigue Reduction – If you suffer from muscle aches or joint pain, infrared saunas can relieve this form of inflammation by increasing circulation and relaxing your muscles.  Physicians specializing in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome believe there is a strong connection between the disease and toxins, especially heavy metals and chemicals. These chemicals and metals reside in the body’s cells. The removal of these toxins improved CFS sufferer’s sleep, decreased fatigue and boosted immune function.

INFRARED LEVELS

Infrared sauna treatments may be available at different levels: near, middle, and far.

These different levels represent the different sizes in infrared wavelengths and refer to the intensity of the treatment. In general:

Near – infrared levels are best for wound healing and increased immune function
Middle – infrared levels are ideal for increasing circulation and promoting muscle relaxation
Far – infrared levels are used primarily for detoxification purposes

So there you have it, my top 7 reasons to invest in an Infrared Sauna.  From my experience, I can tell you that I use it 3-5 days a week.  I particularly like sitting in the Infrared Sauna after workouts to relief muscle pain and tension.  My Infrared Sauna is my go to location for relaxation, in my life, as well…a healthy respite for well-worked muscles.

Don’t or can’t have a sauna in your house?  Search for stand-alone locations, or gyms, in your area that have one.  People often associate the word, “Pamper” when spas or saunas show up in a conversation.  Get away from that…replace “Pamper” with “Healthy” and you will be further down your path to a simply wellness lifestyle.

**This is not a paid endorsement…I simply love my Infrared Sauna and want to spread their many benefits.